Metaphors of Despair and Enlightenment: A Case Study Based on Du Fu’s Four Poems on Sick or Withered Trees

Abstract

In the second year of the Shangyuan period (761), Du Fu wrote a quartet of poems on sick or withered trees. They are “The Sick Cypress,” “The Withered Palms,” “The Sick Orange Tree,” and “The Withered Nanmu Tree.” Different from his previous practice of using trees to embody personal aspirations, the poet employed sick or withered trees to allude social realities. These poems, rich with profound contemplation on individuals, society, and the Tang Dynasty, cover many important topics, such as the poet’s bleak future, the decline of people’s livelihoods, the immorality of rulers, and even the decline of the Tang Dynasty. These poems reveal his disappointment with the future of his country and his personal ambitions. This disenchantment reflects the pivotal shift in Du Fu’s later thoughts, revealing the impetus behind his relinquishment of political aspirations in favor of poetic creation. In this regard, this quartet of poems is the most thought-provoking exploration, with an undeniable value among Du Fu’s later works.

Keywords

Tang poetry / Du Fu / sick or withered trees / despair / enlightenment

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